Rant: Had to choose between a factory reman or a junkyard turbo for my Pete last week

My 2006 Peterbilt 379 blew the turbo on I-5 near Portland. The shop quoted $3800 for a factory reman but I went with a $900 junkyard unit from a salvage yard in Salem. That thing has been smoking like a chimney since mile 50 and I'm kicking myself for being cheap. Anybody else roll the dice on used parts and regret it?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_ryan4d agoMost Upvoted

Sometimes the cheap option ends up costing you more in the long run though.

rowan_roberts494d ago

My buddy Tom learned that with a used alternator, @the_ryan.

milestaylor2d ago

$900 for a turbo from a junkyard in Salem sounds like you bought a ticket to the smoke show lottery and won the grand prize. I bet that thing was sitting in a puddle of oil for three years before they yanked it out. Now you get to enjoy a free fog machine every time you hit the throttle. Congrats on saving $2900 though, that's gotta be nice as you're choking on blue smoke going up the Grapevine.